fciv	INTRODUCTION
modern slang, old English, Latin, Italian, Greek/' adding
that "the Corvo vocabulary is orchidaceous." Another
critic summed his language as "classic and colloquial, early
Italian and old English, Cockney and Athenian." The
Twentieth Century Review saw "a beautiful fancy that
seduces one into thinking it quite the most delightful
thing, which, of course, it isn't, but is very nearly, really."
Catholic readers were publicly outraged or delighted sur-
reptitiously. The Tablet thought him "unfortunately very
amusing." Church Bells hoped that "the author's object
may be to throw some light upon the superstitious doctrines
of modern Rome!"
These tales are unique, and though very uneven, they
are very original. They represent a natural commingle-
ment of the Pagan and the Christian tradition in the
form of modern Italian folk-lore expressed through the
medium of a rather fantastic youth. But at times it is
difficult to say whether it is Toto or Corvo .who is speak-
ing. The naivete is always Toto's, but the subtlety is some-
times Rolfe's.
"The Epick of San Georgia" is a Christianisation of the
legend of Perseus. Others are based on such incidents as
the rebuff given by an English duchess to King Bomba
("About the Holy Duchess and the Wicked King"), or
the blessing by Pius IX of an Anglican Bishop ("About
Papa Feretti and the Blest Heresiarch"). Others are
popular fantasies making furious fun of the Capucins and
Jesuits. Most of them are rollicking but exquisite pictures
of "the gods" or saints and their emotions in Paradise.
One typical sentence describes St. Peter taking off his
Tiara, "while he wiped the sweat from his brow, using the
Gremial instead of the Fancon provided for such pur-
poses." It requires some liturgical sense to recognise that
the Fancon or maniple was originally a handkerchief and
the Gremial an episcopal apron. They may be described as
anthropomorphic idylls of Italian popular religion and,